"That's all nonsense," said Curdie. "I don't know what you mean."
"Then if you don't know what I mean, what right have you to call it nonsense?" -- George MacDonald, The Princess and the Goblin

Dwarves, Hjalmar discovered in the next few minutes, were both like and unlike their depictions in fairy-tales. They were small, stocky people with long beards -- on both men and women, which took him by surprise -- but they had far more advanced technology than any fairy-tale said.

They had mine-carts that moved by themselves, and curious machines that worked at the touch of a button. Hjalmar was astonished to see two dwarves carrying on a conversation from opposite sides of a busy room by speaking into small boxes they held at their ears.

Compared to the dwarves, the two humans were almost giants. The tallest dwarf's head wasn't even on a level with Hjalmar's waist. They attracted very little attention, however. Most of the dwarves they saw hardly gave them a passing glance.

They must be used to seeing humans, Hjalmar thought. But what humans can they have seen? The whole world would know of their existence if the dwarves had much contact with the Athyens!

Their guide, a dwarf with a mop of bright red hair, led them along winding roads within the mountain until they came to a mansion built into a ledge. Just looking at the place made Hjalmar feel dizzy. It was built not only on the ledge, but into the stone around and beneath it. The entire building looked like it was one strong breeze away from collapsing and falling to the ground below.

Inside, the mansion looked like someone's workshop. Blueprints and diagrams were pinned to every wall. Tables covered with pieces of strange machinery lined the walls. A group of dwarves were gathered around one of the blueprints, arguing loudly in a strange language.

One of the dwarves detached himself from the group when he saw them enter.

"What's this?" he asked in a surprisingly loud voice for such a small person. "I didn't know we were expecting visitors."

Their guide bowed to him. "Your Majesty, these humans have a boon to ask of you."

"Your Majesty," Solvej said, bowing low. As she bowed, she nudged Hjalmar to let him know he should bow too. "We came to ask if you can tell us how to contact the Sky Queen, or where she may be found."

The Dwarf King combed his fingers through his beard thoughtfully. "And why do two humans wish to find the Sky Queen?"

Solvej told him the whole story as quickly and concisely as possible -- that the Magician had killed her and cursed Rigmor, that she and Hjalmar had broken the curse, and that they needed to borrow the Sky Queen's sword to kill the Magician.

"Hmm," said the Dwarf King. "We are only too well acquainted with this Magician. His goons have broken into our mines and stores. He cast a horrible curse on one of our mines that kills anyone who goes down there. I can certainly tell you how to find the Sky Queen, but I can't guarantee she'll let you borrow her sword."

~~~~

"Are you sure we'll be able to follow those directions?" Hjalmar asked after they left the dwarf city. "'Follow the path of a moonbeam on the sea until you come to a silver-lined cloud'? It sounds like something from a fairy-tale!"

"Of course it does," Solvej said. "This is a fairy-tale. Haven't you realised that yet?"

Hjalmar frowned. She had a point, he supposed. Any story with witches, cursed princesses, Magicians, merfolk and dwarves in it was by definition a fairy-tale. But it was disconcerting to be bluntly told that he was living in one.

"Well, I'd like something to make sense for a change," he grumbled. "And I'd like to get off this damned carpet!"

Solvej didn't answer. She was too busy staring up at the stars. "Let's see, the nearest shore is... that way." She turned the carpet to the left.

Hjalmar clutched the carpet's edge and wished he was safely back in his bed. "Are we going to be out all night?"

"Probably," Solvej said cheerfully. "We can't put this off till tomorrow, after all."

He had to admit she had a point. It didn't mean he had to like any of this, though. "How will we know when we've found the right moonbeam?"

"Oh, any moonbeam will do."

They flew on in silence until they reached the seashore. The dull roar of the waves crashing on the rocks, and the salty smell that filled the air, let them know in advance when they were approaching it. Almost before Hjalmar had time to realise it, they had flown right over the beach and were heading out into the vast emptiness above the open sea.

Above them the gibbous moon cast its light down on the sea. Solvej leaned far over the side of the carpet, scanning the waves for any likely moonbeams.

"There!" she shouted, pointing.

Hjalmar squeezed his eyes shut and didn't dare look. He kept them closed as she turned the carpet to follow the moonbeam she'd spotted. Only when the carpet had slowed down and stopped swerving in different directions did he dare open them again.

For what felt like hours, they flew over the open sea. There was nothing around them but empty air, nothing above them but the stars and moon, nothing beneath them but the inky blackness of the ocean. It was as if there was nothing else in the world but a vast, endless ocean under a vast, endless sky.

What if there is no Sky Queen? Hjalmar wondered as they flew on and on. What if we're completely lost and heading for some foreign land on the other side of the world?

He didn't voice his thoughts aloud, but they lingered in his mind.

Then suddenly, they saw It.

A cloud loomed ahead of them, a mass of silver and shadows. It floated directly in front of the moon. Outlined in black against the moon was a many-towered palace. As they drew closer it resolved itself into a palace made of what looked like silver, glittering in the moonlight, with hundreds of lights glowing in the windows. The door was wide open. No one stopped them flying right in through the door and landing in the courtyard.

Somewhere nearby, a choir was singing. Their voices, high and ethereal like the tinkling of silver bells, filled the courtyard, seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere. It was impossible to discern lyrics among what they sang; it sounded like a wordless chant.

The carpet hovered a foot above the shining pavement of the courtyard. Solvej swung her legs over the side and hopped off. Hjalmar remained clinging to the carpet.

What if I jumped down and fell right through the floor? he thought with a shudder.

"You can wait here if you want to," Solvej said. "I'm going to find the Sky Queen, or someone who can direct me to her."

Hjalmar weighed up his options. He could stay here in the courtyard, where anything might happen to him, or he could risk falling through the floor and go with Solvej. Put like that, there wasn't much of a contest. Besides, he would admit -- if only to himself -- that he was curious to see the Sky Queen.

He climbed down from the carpet. The floor remained solid beneath his feet.

"Let's go," Solvej said.

The two of them set off towards a flight of stairs that looked as if they were made from glass. Around them the choir's music rippled and wavered like a living creature.

Staircase after staircase, hallway after hallway, Hjalmar and Solvej wandered through the palace. The music always accompanied them, never getting nearer or further away, until Hjalmar wondered if it was the palace itself that was singing. There wasn't a sign of anyone other than themselves and the invisible singers. And yet there was an air of peace and safety about the place, as if there was no sinister reason for everyone's absence.

"How long have we been here?" Hjalmar asked in a whispered. He couldn't have said why he felt he must whisper, but the thought of speaking loudly seem almost sacrilegious, like shouting in a cathedral.

"Ten minutes?" Solvej said with a shrug.

That sounded like a worryingly long time when they had so little time to waste. How soon would the sun rise?

"I think we're finally near the throne room," Solvej continued as they turned onto a wider corridor than any they'd seen before.

Hjalmar scanned the walls for any sign of a door. Finally he saw it, and wondered how it had taken him so long to see it. The door was a massive thing made from silver, with stars and galaxies embossed on it. It looked like it would need a giant to open it.

"Well, here we are," Solvej said. She walked right up to the door and knocked on it.

Her knock echoed and resounded through the hall, so startlingly loud and discordant that it drowned out the singing for a minute. They stood silently as the reverberations faded away.

The door slid open noiselessly. It seemed impossible for such a massive object to move without scraping or squeaking, but it did. Through the door they saw a massive room, apparently carved out of crystal. The singing grew louder as the door opened, as if it came from inside the room. But there was no sign of anyone inside.

Solvej stepped through the door. Her shoes made no sound on the glittering floor.

"Hello?" she called.

"Welcome, ghost and mortal," a voice replied. It was a high, almost childish voice, that reminded Hjalmar of tinkling bells. "You have come a long way to find me."

The room was not as empty as it had appeared at first. A small figure stood in front of the windows, a figure wrapped in a cape that seemed to be made of a cloud. At first Hjalmar thought he was looking at a child. The owner of the voice was a short, dainty-looking little girl who seemed to be made of the same crystal as her throne room. She was practically enveloped in the folds of her cape. Was this the Sky Queen?

She saw the bewildered look on his face and burst out laughing. "Oh, it's been a long time since I saw a mortal. I'd forgotten how they react to me."

Hjalmar looked at Solvej. Solvej shrugged, looking as baffled as he felt.

The Sky Queen smiled merrily. "Well? Won't you tell me your names?"

Solvej found her voice. "Your Majesty," she said, bowing. "I am Solvej, and this is Hjalmar. We have come to ask if we may borrow your sword."

The Sky Queen raised an eyebrow. "And why do you need my sword?"

Once more, Solvej recounted the whole story. She had been doing that a lot recently. Hjalmar wondered if she was as tired of telling it as he was of hearing it. The Sky Queen listened in silence, her head tilted to one side.

"So you see, your Majesty," Solvej finished, "we need the sword to kill the Magician."

"I have heard rumours of this Magician," the Sky Queen said thoughtfully. "I have never paid them much heed, for my attention is always on far more serious matters."

Hjalmar thought privately that the Magician was quite a serious matter too. But perhaps he paled in comparison to inhuman monsters from outer space.

The Sky Queen paced to and fro in front of the window, her head bowed in thought. At last she stood up straight. "Can you assure me that you will not let my sword fall into the hands of the Magician? Or of anyone else who would use it for ill?"

"I can't say for sure," Solvej replied, "but I'll try not to."

That is not reassuring, Hjalmar thought.

It seemed the Sky Queen thought so too. She raised an eyebrow skeptically. "You will have to do more than try, if you wish me to lend you my sword."

"I'll do my best!" Solvej said. "It just might not be easy. The Magician will try to take it if he can."

This sounded surprisingly defeatist, coming from Solvej. Hjalmar stared at her in amazement. She was standing a few inches in front of him and slightly to the left. Unseen by the Sky Queen, she made a flapping gesture at him behind her back. Hjalmar got the message: 'Don't say anything'.

All that told him was that she had some reason for her odd behaviour. What it was and how good a reason it was... Well, he supposed she'd explain it eventually.

The Sky Queen raised the other eyebrow. "And will you stop the Magician if he tries to take it?"

"I'm sure I can. I'll kill him when he gets close enough."

Was that Solvej's plan? Pretend to be about to let the Magician take the sword, then kill him with it? It sounded like a very poor plan, and one full of holes. There were so many things that could go wrong that Hjalmar's mind boggled at the thought of it.

Yet for some reason the Sky Queen nodded as if she was perfectly satisfied.

"Very well," she said in her high, childish voice. "I will lend you my sword."

Hjalmar stared. He got the feeling that he had missed something vitally important. But he couldn't for the life of him think what it was.